Business Intelligence: Field Intelligence Warning Signs

NathanPosted on November 28th, 2017

Last week, we talked about field intelligence- what it is and what it does. This week, to wrap up our discussion of field intelligence, we are going to talk about three data points you should be looking at every week to get the most out of what you are collecting.

Here's the thing- you can gather all the data in the world, and make as many spreadsheets and graphs as you want, but unless you know what you're looking for then it's not going to mean much.

The tricky part is that every construction site is different, so it's hard to pin down a "if your numbers are above/below this then you're in trouble." But what we can tell you is to keep a special track of the following data points- they are low hanging fruit to see immediate results.

Delays by Project

This one should be obvious- nothing makes your firm lose bids faster than a poor track record of not completing projects on time. If you see plenty of delays on one project then you know it's time to step in.

But more than that, look at where the delays are coming from, we've found the most common to be visitors and safety observations.

Open Tasks

This might be a strange one to track, but hear us out. You might think that open tasks on a site is a good thing- lots of work getting done. But what you really want to see are lots of tasks closed.

Ideally, only 5-10 tasks should carry over from week to week. If you are seeing the same tasks appear every week then odds are your Superintendents are thinking too big- break up big tasks into smaller ones that you can mark as completed more frequently. The field personnel will appreciate completing jobs and you'll be able to keep closer tabs on how progress is going.

Compliance Percentage

You are going to want to look at this by project specifically. While this data point isn't immediately tied to completing projects and tasks, it is necessary for you to know what's happening. If you see the compliance percentage dip below 75% then you are going to want to step in and have a talk with the Superintendent.

There's an added benefit to taking care of this early- if you do, then you avoid having Superintendents and Subcontractors spending weeks (and we've heard months) at the end of the project filling out their dailies.

Field Intelligence Analysis

These three data points should ensure that you are watching the most serious aspects of your field. Applying a little data analysis to these three points will make sure that your firm is using business intelligence to grow the right way to complete projects on time and under budget.

Field Intelligence is all about completely and effectively managing your field operations through the consistent, steady use of data. It's information that you can actually use, collected quickly and accurately.

Of course, these aren't the only data points you'll need to be tracking for complete field intelligence, but it's a good place to start. For a more complete list, as well as how to get started, give us a call. Let's talk.

Find the rest of our Business Intelligence for Construction Firms Series here:

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